Afghans break the violent global silence with love 2

March 24, 2010 by  
Filed under Journey Updates

Please watch Faiz, Mohd Jan and Zekerullah join Abdullah in breaking the Afghan silence

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vEukg9T9S2E

zekerullahs-peace

Zekerullah’s peace

 

It’s been more than 30 years of wars in Afghanistan

Faiz,is it logical to raise the voice of peace in a scenario of war & bloodshed?

Yes, we have an Afghan proverb which says that ‘droplet by droplet, a river will form. In this darkness,

brightness & light are needed.

 

faizs-river

Faiz’s river

 

A desperate, confused, proud & deceptive in-humanity is lingering over Afg

Mohd Jan, is it logical to think that love, compassion & mercy can work in a global culture of selfishness? Yes, because selfishness will ultimately kill us all while love preserves our humanity.

 

mohdjans-humanity

Mohd Jan’s humanity

 

Victory needs to be lovingly re-defined in Afghanistan

Zekerullah , is it logical to want peace when the whole world wants victory in the Afghan war?

Yes, because in the end, it is in peace that victory is found.

 

American 15-year-old Elisa to Afghan 14-year-old Abdulai : “My friend…we are human, we must try our best. Don’t let go of your hope.”

 

Abdulai, is it logical for you to struggle for love in a world full of hate?

Yes, because one day, love will triumph!

YOUTH PEACE VOLUNTEERS OF AFGHANISTAN

Our Journey to Smile

 

See historic videos by these Afghan youth participate in a live discussion to Afghanistan

Tickets: OFS members $5, General $8, Youth $3

Historic Capitol Theater

(360) 754-6670 www.olympiafilmsociety.org

 

Saturday March 27 6:30 pm

Olympia Film Society

206 5th Avenue SE ~ Downtown Olympia

Washington, USA

 

In Washington D.C, the broadcast will be at Busboys and Poets (5th and K st), 9pm EST

 

A project of the northwest peace movement & Olympia Fellowship of Reconciliation

Our Journey to Smile’s Afghan Videos will be broadcast with ‘live narration’on Saturday March 27 6:30 pm at Historic Capitol Theater in Olympia, Washington USA, with simultaneous broadcasts in Washington DC ( Busboys and Poets 5th and K st) 9pm EST) Conn & New York

 

 

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Technorati Tags: Afghan War, Journey Updates, Love is how we'll ask for peace, Olympia Film Society

Afghans break the global, violent silence with love

March 22, 2010 by  
Filed under Journey Updates

Please hear a 14 year old Afghan boy break the global, violent silence with love

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ULhGa5w08mQ

abdulais-voiceAbdulai’s voice of peace

Our Journey to Smile’s Afghan Videos will be broadcast live on Saturday March 27 6:30 pm at Historic Capitol Theater in Olympia, Washington USA, with simultaneous broadcasts in Washington DC, Conn & New York

American 15-year-old Elisa to Afghan 14-year-old Abdulai : “My friend, it’s a terrible feeling when you are trying to speak & no one can hear.We are children, our voices are so small. We are human, we must try our best. Don’t let go of your hope.”

abdulais-loveAbdulai’s love

Abdulai, is it logical for you to struggle for love in a world full of hate?

Yes, because one day, love will triumph!

the-peace-vigil-youth-say-thanks-smallThe Afghan Youth Peace Volunteers

YOUTH PEACE VOLUNTEERS OF AFGHANISTAN

Our Journey to Smile

See historic videos by these Afghan youth participate in a live discussion to Afghanistan

Tickets: OFS members $5, General $8, Youth $3

Historic Capitol Theater

(360) 754-6670 www.olympiafilmsociety.org

Saturday March 27 6:30 pm

Olympia Film Society

206 5th Avenue SE ~ Downtown Olympia

Washington, USA

In Washington D.C, the broadcast will be at Busboys and Poets (5th and K st), 9pm EST

A project of the northwest peace movement & Olympia Fellowship of Reconciliation

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Technorati Tags: Afghan War, Journey Updates, Love is how we'll ask for peace, Olympia Film Society

An Afghan Grandma tells her dark war story & gives advice

March 18, 2010 by  
Filed under Journey Updates

Please listen to an Afghan grandma’s story and advice on war

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dM0JYbcgZmU

They set the houses on fire…smoke…smoke that darkened the skies.

 

We fled to Baba mountains, so hungry & thirsty. Drop dripped from my bare feet…oh forget it…snow up to the waist

 

A small old man had fallen into the river towards Bihsud. He was bald & he stopped breathing in the river…there were 2 or 3 corpses in the mosque too

 

3 persons were killed at Nao Joi, their feet were bare in the snow… I was so.o.o.o… frightened that I was shivering. Would they kill me next? They asked, “Where is your son? I told them he was not around.”

 

“Do you have chickens?,”they asked. “No, uncle, I have no chickens.” They fired at my yard & house…such shaking! They had already taken a black chicken I had bought. I thought,” With faith in God, what should I do?”

 

Hakim, those were the days.

Those were bad days?

Those were such bad days…such bad days

 

Why does a human kill another human?

I can’t get to the bottom of it ( I don’t understand )…

 

Recently, foreign forces wanted to kill insurgents but killed civilians instead

Killed civilians? Oh…they did wrong…don’t kill innocent people

They were quiet in their houses…why should they be killed?

 

What advice do you have for the youth?

My advice is: no war, for peace in the world, no trouble.

Be very afraid of wars…

 

Can anything be built from taking revenge?

No…nothing can be built from revenge.

 

Boys, say it, should the people of Afghanistan be at peace or fight?

Be at peace.

Be at peace and don’t shed blood.

 

An Afghan grandma’s dark war memories

grandmas-story

 

grandma’s story in the dark

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Technorati Tags: Afghan War, Day Kundi civilian casualties, Marjah offensive Operation Together

Love’s seed in an insecure Afghan province

March 11, 2010 by  
Filed under Journey Updates

Please watch Afghan Youth speak for peace in an insecure Afghan province

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=srLM3Yiwc4A

group-in-a-linethe Afghan Youth Peace Volunteers


The Afghan Youth Peace Volunteers traveled to Dai Kundi Province

Dai Kundi is mountain-isolated & war was raging in 2 of its districts during our visit to this neglected place

?About 50 youth of Dai Kundi met the Bamiyan youth for a Peace Program

Though there was a deep hopeless-ness, the hunger for love & peace was even greater

We are truly surprised & proud that such Afghan youth exist at all…

Despite difficulties & limited resources, they’re raising the voice of peace in Afg.

I personally pledge my support ; we can only raise the voice of peace through love & brotherhood.

Not only for peace in Afg but also the world…only love can plant the roots of peace in the world

Is your home-country peaceful?

This is the story…( words not clear )…shooting & shooting & shooting….& they couldn’t kill….

Coming to Dai Kundi has been a happy trip for us. There are trees etc…but life here is difficult.

We haven’t seen any happiness in these 30 years of war. In the future, we should make friends with Pushtoons, Hazaras, Uzbeks & Tajiks. We have a bad ‘culture’ of keeping a distance from one another

People should understand the true situation in Afghanistan

Without ( accurate ) information, people should not judge us

I request American youth to be ‘of one hand’ ( united ) with us for peace

Those who are in contact with us, don’t abandon us. Please be with us in our message of peace

The Afghan seeds of love and peace are being sown, person to person

And like the almond trees in Dai Kundi, we hope for love & peace to grow

almond-treesalmond trees in Dai Kundi


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Technorati Tags: Afghan peace reconciliation reintegration, Afghan war strategy, Dai Kundi Province Afghanistan, Love is how we’ll ask for peace in Afghanistan and the world

A fatherless Afghan boy remembers Iraq Memorial to Life

March 8, 2010 by  
Filed under Journey Updates

Abdulai the Afghan boy remembers those killed in Iraq, just as he remembers his father

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F647Zn4iqY8

abdulai-at-fathers-graveAbdulai at his father’s and grandfather’s grave

My dad & grand-dad were killed & this morning I went to their graves to remember them

We the people of the world should restore the sacred value of life

We should revive true spirituality & recover our love

I grieve for every person killed in the Iraq war because that grief has also broken my heart

To our friends of Iraq Memorial to Life, our hearts are with you

imtl-cardsIraq Memorial to Life

Iraq Memorial to Life www.iraqmemorialtolife.org will have their New York Central Park Dedication Ceremony starting this Sunday the 14th of March 2010

Below are some of the event’s highlights.

Iraq Memorial to Life Announcement

March 19, 2010 marks the seventh year since the US-led invasion of Iraq exploded into the lives of most everyone on earth. The hopes of nearly 20 million people demonstrating around the globe on February 15, 2003 where shattered; they’d tried and stop the madness before it started. To date, 4,380 US soldiers have been killed (icasualties.org, 3/4/10).

By some accounts over 1,300,000 Iraqi civilians are believed dead as a result (justforeignpolicy.org).

The Iraq Memorial to Life (IMtL) remembers the lives of these civilians. This year it will first be installed in Central Park, New York City, on March 14th. It will then be placed on The National Mall, Washington D.C., at the base of the Washington Monument facing the White House on the seventh anniversary, March 19, 2010. The traveling Arlington Midwest Memorial remembering the US service women and men killed will be set up near by.

Help build this memorial from your home. Please make as many markers as you can.

Visiting the memorial website marker page http://www.oly-wa.us/iraqmemorial/Markers.php you will see the list of markers yet to be made for individuals and for incidents (data from IraqBodyCount.org). It takes about 5 minutes to choose and make a marker. We will keep making markers until it is over; until it stops and reparations begin in earnest.

Send markers as soon as possible to: IMTL – Peace of the Action, PO Box 21591, Washington DC 20009.

Please help fund the memorial. It does cost us to laminate these – please give even a small amount; anything helps!

Checks may be made out to Fellowship of Reconciliation (“IMtL” on the memo line), 521 N. Broadway, Nyack, NY 10960. You may also donate online at the website www.iraqmemorialtolife.org.

Help build this memorial on site. Arrive at the memorial site early to help set it up. Please be one of the volunteers that help set up the memorials in Central Park, NYC, or at the Washington Monument in Washington DC.

CAN WE COUNT ON YOU TO HELP? KINDLY LET US KNOW: mailto:douglas.mackey@iraqmemorialtolife.org

NYC Central Park, Sunday March 14, 2010: Arrive as early as you can, between 5 and 7 am, at 72nd Street and 5th Avenue entrance of Central Park; signs will direct you to memorial set up leaders wearing white arm bands.

The Central Park Dedication Ceremony will be held at 12:00 pm at the IMtL Banner in Rumsey Playfield area.

(If you are making markers – and you know you can get them to NY by March 13th please send them to: IMtL – Lynne Mackey Studio, 261 West 35th Street, New York, NY 10001-1902 (212) 352-0668.)

Washington DC, Washington Monument (north), Thursday & Friday March 18 & 19, 2010:

3/18: 10am – 3pm Memorial organizers will lead a learn-about (teach-in) about the memorial at north side of the Washington Monument, site of the memorial, markers will be made and the memorial will be laid out on the ground for final installation. Join volunteers at 6:30pm V-St. Busboys & Poets to hear Dahr Jamail and Sam Husseini present: Remember Iraq – 7 Years and Counting. 3/19: 8am – 11pm Placing the Memorials.

Visit the Iraq Memorial to Life, 2010.

Central Park, Rumsey Playfield & Strawberry Fields ~ Rowand Suleiman’s marker, 1 yr old girl. NYC, Sunday March 14:

72nd Street entrances of Central Park (E or W); signs will direct you to the memorial. Dedication Ceremony will be held at 12:00pm with Douglas Mackey, Salam Hassan, Mark Johnson, and others.

Washington DC, Washington Monument (north), Open daily from March 19 – March 22, Sunrise to Sunset

3/19: 9:30pm Candlelight Procession; 10:30pm Silent Observance concurrent in several US locations.

3/20: 10:00 am Dedication Ceremony with Josh Stieber, Salam Hassan, Dahr Jamail, Mark Johnson, Cindy Sheehan, and others. Dedication closes with Path of Understanding ceremony.

3/22: 10:00 am (tentative) Closing Ceremony – A reading from the people of Iraq. Help take down the memorial and pack it for the future.

For more information, contact:

Douglas Mackey, IMtL Coordinator (360) 485-3764

mailto:douglas.mackey@iraqmemorialtolife.org

Iraq Memorial to Life, Traditions Fair Trade, 300 5th Ave. SW, Olympia, WA 98503


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Technorati Tags: Afghan fatherless boy remembers those killed in Iraq War, Iraq Memorial to Life Dedication in New York Central Park